NHAI chief spells out plans to decongest Delhi-Ggn e-way

Decongesting the 33-km stretch between Dhaula Kuan in Delhi and Kherki Daula in Gurgaon seems to be the priority for National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Raghav Chandra, who inspected the busy stretch on Saturday and ordered the widening of the service lanes and entry and exit points, and asked for fresh paint on road markings at various points.Chetna Choudhry | TNN | May 15, 2016, 10:06 IST

GURGAON: Decongesting the 33-km stretch between Dhaula Kuan in Delhi and Kherki Daula in Gurgaon seems to be the priority for National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Raghav Chandra, who inspected the busy stretch on Saturday and ordered the widening of the service lanes and entry and exit points, and asked for fresh paint on road markings at various points.

Official figures reveal that the traffic volume has increased to 324,250 vehicles a day at Sirhaul border as compared to 114,089 vehicles a day in 2008.

At Kherki Daula too, it has increased to 113,331 vehicles a day from 58,685 a day in 2008. This annual average traffic growth rate of 16% at Sirhaul and 10% at Kherki Daula toll plaza is causing regular snarls on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway.

Terming the stretch as the "most important road of India", Chandra ordered the release of tenders for construction of two elevated U-turns, a footover bridge and bus stops at the Sirhaul border and instructed authorities concerned - Delhi-Gurgaon expressway concessionaire, district administration, MCG and the traffic police - to start work for underpasses at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Tower and Rajiv Chowk, and the METRINO project.

He also gave his nod to the widening of road near Rajokri in Delhi and expansion of the Kherki Daula toll plaza to 22 lanes from 16 lanes, apart from restoration of service road from Hero Honda Chowk to Kherki Daula toll plaza and construction of two slip roads at Palam junction and IGI Airport.

Sources said the NHAI will soon approach the Central Industrial Security Force to assist the police in managing traffic on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. The chairman wanted traffic police at every junction, entry and exit, but due to shortage of staff in traffic police, now CISF will be requested to share personnel to man the high-speed corridor and stop entry of two and three-wheelers on the main carriageway, sources said.

Technical upgradation is also a priority for NHAI and soon RFID FASTag facility will be implemented in all toll lanes. To ensure the safety of commuters, CCTV cameras will now be installed in the entire stretch and the footage will be preserved for seven days.

The non-availability of land at Kherki Daula for expansion of the toll plaza is another issue raised by the NHAI chief. Sources said the owners of the adjoining land are willing to transfer the same on lease only based on revenue rates and the matter is currently in the Supreme Court.

If land is obtained, then four additional lanes can be constructed. Chandra also raised concerns over forceful free passage by residents of 31 villages at the toll plaza.

"We want to focus in three areas i.e., improving the road engineering, technical advancement and sorting out of operational issues through manpower and management. These things will be our focus for the next few months and may take some time, but will help in improving traffic management. The impact will be felt over time, but we now have the things moving in the right direction," Chandra told TOI.

Union minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari too was stuck in a jam on this route in December, and his recent meeting with Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal shows that what the daily plight of commuters couldn't do, a meeting between two ministers sorted within a week.